1. Field of the Invention
The invention generally relates to the batter coating of food products in food process lines and more particularly, to a machine which combines batter-mixing with batter-application in a single unit, as well as converts between handling tempura batter and regular batter. Further, for regular batter, it is preferred if the inventive machine further converts between operating in a re-circulating mode as well as operating in a batch mode. Additional aspects and objects of the invention will be apparent in connection with the discussion further below of preferred embodiments and examples.
2. Prior Art
In the field of large scale food processing, one of the problem areas has persistently been the preparation of Tempura style batter. Tempura style batter is used to coat certain food products before deep fat frying. Such food products range the spectrum from seafood pieces, onion and other vegetable pieces, poultry parts and so on.
Tempura style batter, or xe2x80x9ctempura,xe2x80x9d are the names used in the food preparation trade to describe a thick leavened batter that swells in volume during frying. The dry mix formulation of tempura is typically available in fifty pound paper bags. For convenience, this seems to fix the standard measures of batch size for the dry mix as integral multiples of fifty pounds. Nowadays there are certain food processing lines in use which require the accurate mixing of 2,500 pounds per hour of tempura batter. If the batter is not accurately mixed, the final product will vary in appearance, weight and taste. The problem is further compounded because tempura is subject to some degradation after a span of time as little as a couple to a few minutes of mixing. The degradation becomes increasingly severe after several more minutes. Degradation occurs because the leavening reacts with water to form small gas bubbles. Prolonged agitation causes the gas bubbles to escape the tempura. Once the gas bubbles have escaped the tempura batter, the batter will not swell as desired during frying. An associated problem is if the tempura is allowed to stand for long periods of time before use, the gas will escape nevertheless despite very little agitation. This combination of required mixing accuracy, short mixing time and relatively short holding time means that tempura must be mixed quickly in relatively small quantities, and then be used up relatively quickly. It has long been the experience of the industry that tempura style batter simply requires much more watching over than regular mixing and application operations of regular batter.
What has developed is dedicated mixing machines which specialize in mixing either tempura batter or regular batter. More accurately, the tempura mixing machines are adapted for batch mixing. There are other machines used practically exclusively on regular batter, and these allow operation in continuous mode.
Since a food process line may alternate between instances of producing a tempuracoated product and other instances of not, the mixing machines are built on or as carts which allow wheeling into position for use and then away for non-use. A typical line may have the following stations in succession:xe2x80x94a pre-dusting station, a batter application station, a breading station, and then another batter application station.
The batter application machines are installed directly in the product flow path. The mixing machines which supply the batter to such applicators are carted up to positions in the aisle aside the batter machines. These mixing machines hence supply the applicator machines from the side, in the aisle. This presents various problems. The mixing machines occupy valuable floor space in what may be cramped quarters. The mixing machines are costly, and two machines for two different batter styles can be reckoned as costing twice as much as a single mixing machine. Also, in use, the mixing machines always work in tandem with an applicator machine. This too is a costly machine in addition to the costs of the two mixing machines.
What is needed is an improvement which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art without detracting from any of the advantages thereof, as well as providing improvements or enhancements in areas not even addressed by the prior art.
Additional aspects and objects of the invention will be apparent in connection with the discussion further below of preferred embodiments and examples.
It is an object of the invention to provide a convertible, combination batter-mixer and -applicator machine that combines mixing and applying functions in one machine as well as affords conversion among at least three modes of use.
It is an alternate object of the invention that the above first mode involves the batter being preferably handled by mixing up one batch at a time from materials whose input quantities are specified in terms of defined weight-ratios, and then the batch is used up completely until depleted.
It is another object of the invention that a second mode preferably has the batter handled by mixing up one batch at a time from materials whose input quantities are adjusted in order to meet a defined-viscosity, and then the batch is used up completely until depleted.
It is an additional object of the invention that a third mode involve re-circulating the batter stock, which entail continuous re-stocking of the batter stock by mixing in the input materials at varying intervals to the existing stock and in input quantities that are adjusted in order to meet the defined-viscosity.
It is a further object of the invention the above machine get by on a single pump.
It is still another object of the invention the above machine get be surrounded by a refrigerated jacket.
These and other aspects and objects are provided according to the invention in convertible, combination batter-mixer and -applicator machine for continuous food process lines which operatively converts between a batch mode and a re-circulating mode. Such machine comprises the following.
It has a main batter pool for containing batter to a given fill level. The main batter pool is formed by a bottom wall extending between spaced sidewalls and spaced end walls of which one is an intake end and the other a discharge end. Disposed under the intake end of the main batter pool is a mixing tank such that an opening in the main batter pool""s bottom wall at the intake end empties into the mixing tank. A conveyor belt is disposed in the main batter pool or at least partly sunk below the given fill level. The conveyor has an upper food-carrying run providing transit of food product between said intake and discharge ends and a lower batter-motivating run traversing the main batter pool""s bottom wall for motivating batter in direction of the bottom wall""s opening at the intake end.
Said batter machine further has a pump that outputs batter drawn out the mixing tank into the main batter pool. Another aspect of the batter machine is a removable flap to shut the opening in the intake end of the main pool""s bottom wall. It thereby can generally block batter from emptying through that opening.
Accordingly, the absence of the removable flap allows operation in a re-circulation mode such that batter pumped into the main batter pool from the mixing tank circulates back thereto by the conveyor belt""s lower run motivating batter to empty therein through the opening in the main batter pool""s bottom wall at the intake end. And, the use of the removable flap allows operation in a batch mode such that a batch of batter pumped into the main batter pool from the mixing tank remains there for substantial depletion without recharge, wherein depletion occurs because batter is being perpetually carried away as coating on food product that is discharged by the conveyor.
Preferably the mixing tank is provided with a controller, a mixing element, a controllable feed service of water, another controllable feed service of dry mix, and HI/LO sensing in order to make up for batter that is carried off as coating on food product discharged by the conveyor. The mixing element might be any one of a revolving paddle, ribbons, wire whips or beaters.
The controller, the controllable feed service of water, and the controllable feed service of dry mix are operative to mix in water and dry mix based on weight ratios. Alternatively, the invention might include a viscometer in the mixing tank that provides signals to the controller such that controller, the controllable feed service of water, and the controllable feed service of dry mix are operative to mix in water and dry mix in adjustable ratios in order to meet a defined viscosity.
An inventive aspect of this machine relates to a viscometer that comprises the following. That is, the viscometer has a plenum provided with HI and LO sensors, and then the pump""s output line is configured with a branch to fill the plenum and is also provided with a controllable valve such that the controller is operative to fill the plenum above the HI sensor. After having done so, the controller then counts the lapse of time as the level of batter in the plenum falls between the HI and LO sensors, wherein defined viscosities correspond to the passage of such time.
Preferably either the main batter pool, the mixing tank or a combination thereof is provided with HI/LO sensing for operating the pump and thereby controlling the fill level in the main batter pool in accordance with the given fill level. This HI/LO sensing and controlling is preferably operative in the batch mode to cycle in batches of batter one at a time into the main batter pool until a preceding batch is practically depleted before cycling in a succeeding batch. Alternatively, this HI/LO sensing and controlling is operative in the re-circulating mode to hold the batter level in the main batter pool at a relatively more constant level.
The inventive convertible, combination batter-mixer and -applicator machine might further include a submerger system disposed directly above the conveyor belt""s food-carrying run in order to submerge food product below the batter level in the main batter pool during transit through the main batter pool. Optionally the main batter pool and the mixing tank might mate in a T-intersection such that the mixing tank forms the stem of the T-shape. Some form of a drive system provides the drive input for the conveyor. A further inventive aspect of this convertible, combination batter-mixer and -applicator machine relates to a refrigerant jacket surrounding portions of the mixing tank and main batter pool.
Additional aspects and objects of the invention will be apparent in connection with the discussion further below of preferred embodiments and examples.